Digging depth indicator for boring machines



Oct. 30, 1951 G. H. CONNORS 2,573,640

DIGGING DEPTH INDICATOR FOR BORING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l [N VEN TOR.

Oct. 30, 1951 G. 'H. CONNORS DIGGING DEPTH INDICATOR FOR BORING MACHINES Fil ed Jan. 14, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Oct. 30, 1951 DIG'GING'DEPIH'INDIGATORrFORBORING MAC HINES lGeorge' H. "Connor-5,: Edgerton, Wis., assignor to Highway Trailer 'Company,-*Edgerton,*Wis a corporationof Delaware" A Application January 14,,1948 S erial N0'. 2,304

7 Claims.

*Mypresent'inventionpertains toithe .art of sea/nth boring and polesetting means oftheitype r employing --an adjustable; boring head i supporting -arboring bare-or shaitcarr-ying anauger bymwhich ithelholeidigging :operationds performed.

@My. :invention .-comprises an improved a type of digging depth indicator for machines of the class 1* above referred. to, and particularly tdigging i depth indicating means adapted: for the construe-tionrof 351.1011 machines as'-d-isclosed -.in-.the patent of Spowart, No..-;I;5'1l=,433, :issued October 14,-.1924, zandrlilrdahl, No. 1. 921312 issued August 8, 1933. iIn' earth boring machines of the type disclosed "in: the above -.identifiedrpatents, the boring bar orshaft-whieh carries at its :lower end the-auger which does thehole digging work issurrounded by a tube or vertical casing' leading upwardly from-- and attached to the boring head, this tube beingiutilized to steady {the upper end ,of the boringrshaft orzbar -while it rotates the auger, thus preventingwhipping of -th-e saidsupper end of thee-boring bare-as :it-is driven to effect the earth digging operation-in lmakingahole. This-above mentioned --tubethat surrounds-the boring bar -onshaft-additionally:periorms the function of a derriqkboom commonly ,used inconjunction with --suitable--winchand cable means for facilitating the pole -.-settingoperation orthe. emplacement of the pole in thew hole dug by the auger. after the -.diggingoperation has been completed.

:Since the vstabilizingand boom tube creasing above referredrto completely encloses the upper portion of the: boring bar or shaft in the digging operation, in thesuse of presentimachinesiof the type referred to andidisclosed-by the patents above identified, it :is necessary for the operator to estimate the depth ,to which then/auger has :penetrated ..the ground, "and necessarily this his d-iflicult to do i because the.1=boring. head. andethe boringsbar. carried therein. and thereby tare. fre- -quentlyadjusted to .diiierent vangular positions transverselynand longitudinally of the :machine .vehassis by ,whichthey. are .supported,.preliminary to the diggingioperation. .-Theselangular=adjust- .tments arenecessary because attimes the .ma- 'tchineiis disposed over uneven ground either incliningtransversely to the machine or longitu- .idinallyiof the machinelchassis, makingnecessary Ithe angular adjustment in order to bring the, boring. bar .and. its rauger into a. true vertical position .for.diggingaverticalhole.

iTezavoidithe uncertaintysincident to thehestimating of the 'depthQtoWhich the auger, penetrates the earth, za'ndthe resultant loss of time ;in v.olved.,inw measuring theihole; back-fillin or 2 efiecting additional .boring. and re-measuring, I havedeveloped 'thedepthindicating means ofmy present invention for use in' .connection"with machin'es of the class described. I L j 5 ".With '1 the "foregoing objectives in 'fmindgfmy depth indicator comprisesiprimarily an indicating vvvhe'el containingindi'cia for measuring; Said "indicating wheels .operatedby cable means which are connected toithe upper...end df theboring bar ijthrough a. side) of the enclosinggtubeor casing befoneimentioned so that'the cable. of saidrmeans is pulled" to any extent proportionate withi thefdegree of movementhol= the boring. bar-and the auger which it carries, as jthe [auger penetrates the 'gr,0 und. "The.,cable, .o.f said cablemeansjni's atltached' to a reel in vordertoncompel a rotating movement, oflthe re'ellan'd its. 'shaitjduringitheldigjging .movement dffithe-boiinglbar.andauger,,,and means are, providedforhoperatingl the indicating 3 wheel from the cable reel. .YAdditionallyflIimake ,provision "for ,operator adjustment ,of ithel indicating wheel ,to presset .the'samealwaysto {at zero positionj independently ,oiijits actuation irom; the cable reel so thatthe indicating, actionlof them- 271 vdicatingwheehmayibe ,caused. to start, afterllthe auger has beenbperated; by thelboring. bar to 1 bring the ,,point of the" auger into engagement withrthedground, at which timedtstarts digging. v r-lOthe'r" 'ieatures of, jdetail-, pertaining to I my Qin- 3U ventioml rendering .thensame rpractical for the ,ipurposesj hereinbeforeh stated, will be more, L fully ipresented ,in'the following description, to be read ".in.,c0njunction with theaccompanying drawings, ;in which r r;

,jFigure' liisaa vliew-in side elevationshowing partiallythe. chassis or, mobile supporting ,means .ofwanearth ,boring .and hole. setting machine of .fth type to which my invention relates,= said maehineghaving the ..boring .mechanism Lrmounted 4U ,p.on'-fth e rear end. thereof,..asl..customary, and those, portions. of, the. boring mechanism .to which my invention relates, only, beingillustrate'd, with the invention applied thereto. I

'iEigure2iis .a rear end ,view of l the machine asshown inFigure l. l I

Figure is an enlarged view bringing out more clearly" the. details of my mechanism was mounted on the .upper. portion of the boring head @and the "lower portion of the tube ,or] casing whichsurroundsthe boring bar. g

jFigure Apis a side view'largely ,ofJtheparts "shown in Figure 3, with certain, of said parts fbroken-away' andv gshown' in section to ,render these same more clean, I V V as. ll'li'igure' 5iis affdaefltailscitional viembringingout Referring to the accompanying drawings,the

machine to which my invention is applied is partly illustrated in said drawings as including 4 6 will engage the ground for digging action after a relatively small movement of approximately a few feet. Obviously, however, should the vehicle supporting the machinery hereinbefore described be on an elevated ground level while the hole to be bored is some distancedown below such level, at a bank for instance, the auger 6 will have to travel a considerable distance more than would be the case according to the showing of Figures 1 and 2, before engaging the ground to start digging. The latter condition is also true if the boring head 3 is adjusted so that it lies a chassis or frame I mounted on wheels 2, or the chassis may be supported by crawlers, if desired.

Carried at the rear end of the chassis I, usually, is the .hole digging or boring mechanism'which includes primarily the boring head 3 supported by, suitable mounting means 4 and containing the drive gearing by which the boring bar or shaft. 5, .a portion of which is seen at the top broken-away part of Figure 2, is operated. The

boring shaft or bar 5 is adapted to mov'e downwardly and upwardly in the tubular guide or boom- 6a which is suitably attached, to the top of the boring head 3, and as the bar 5' is driven in a downward direction, rotation is imparted thereto by suitable gear mechanism within the head 3, all as well known in the art. It is notable that theboring head3 is adapted to be turned or partly rotated about an axis transverse to' the longitudinal axis of the frame or,chass is'l.in' order' that the auger 6 carried .by thelower end of the bar 5 may be shifted outwardly and inwardly, relatively to its vertical position as seen in Figure Lin a plane longitudinally of the chassis I. The transverse axis point for such movement is generally indicated by the dotted line arrow A in Figure l. k

Additionally the boring head 3 is capable of being rotated to different angles laterally relatively to thefchassis. I, as it is viewed in Figure '2, under which'conditions the head operates about v the longitudinal. axis relatively to the frame I which, longitudinal axis is generally indicated by the dotted arrow B in Figure 2.1 The auger 6' is a conventional type of auger rigidly secured to the lower end of the boring bar for shaft 5. Atthe top of the. tubular guide or what I call'the boring bar tube or casing 6;; there is mounted by suitable axis means a. sheaveor pulley I, and usually a cable extends overthis ,pulley, which cable at one end is equipped with a hook for facilitating tieing the same about a telegraph or telephone pole. At the opposite'end the cable leads to a winch suitably supportedjon It is obvious that if the boring head 3 is in the [position in which it is shown in Figures 1 and 2, under the conditions of the, ground supporting relationbetween the chassis or frame of the supporting, vehicle and the ground level as depicteddn these" figures, the point of the auger at a lateral angle to the level chassis or a longitudinal angle, dependent upon the conditions of service.

My indicating means of my present invention "is designed and constructed, therefore, to deal with the conditions of variability of distance of location of th auger point in relation to the earth level at which said point wil start its digging operation, the variances of course being due tothe adjustment of the position of the boring head 3, and whether the auger point is required to move different distances from its normal positions of Figures'l and 2 incident to the particular job of earth boring which has to be performed.

-I now describe the depth indicating means 7 that forms the special feature of my present invention as employed in combination with boring machines of the type above set forth.

The boring bar 5 is equipped at its upper end with a guide head 8, and for the purposes of my invention I provide this head mounted swivelly on the boring bar 5. The head 8 is equipped with a loop or eye-9 at its upper portion and a cable II) is attached to said eye- 9 and extends laterally from the head 8 through an opening in the side of the tubular uide 6a, over a pulley I I attached near the upper outer portion of said member 6a. From the pulley I I the cable I0 leads downwardly to a reel casing I2 supported near the lower end of the guide member fizz/upon a reel shaft I3, 2. suitable supporting'frame I4 being supplied for a mounting means for the reel or drum about which the cable IIlis adapted to windand fromwhich the cable may unwind, as

hereinafter described. On the reel shaft I3 I provide a trip arm I5, see Fig. 3, having a pointan opening near its inner end which is mounted j upon the reduced portion I3a of the shaft I3 and adapted to abut the shoulder I3b adjacent said reduced portion I3a. A thumb nut or equiva lent member designated I1 is employed to tighten or clamp the trip arm I5 in position so as to turn or rotate with the shaft I3 for a purpose tobe shortly seen. On the outer end of the reel casing or housin I2 which is substantially circular, I provide measurement indicia designated at I8 comprising preferably the markings /2," A, these indicia being related to dimensions in terms of feet of movementof the cable I0 and correspondingly the boring bar 5.

Below the reel or drum unit just described, to which the outer end. of the cable I0 is secured is located a casing I9 in which is mounted the indicator wheel 20, in the back of which are provided a series of detent recesses. 2|, twelve in number as shown, with which recesses there cooperates a detent plunger 22 spring pressed by a spring 23 to enter the recesses 2| of the indicator wheel 20, as the latter rotates.

On its peripheral portion the indicator wheel 20 has a number of equally spaced'projections aor'i-lugs so disposed that theyare located ione at attim'e' in :the path. of swingin movementof "the arm-C1 5 incident to.fits rotation about the' 'axis we thesshatt ii 3. Onfits outer 'iace rzhe wheel: 2!! ebears indicia' in -the for-m1 or numbers from 2.110 11; 'lhezindicator wheel :20 is'mounted upon zashafnflto which itis keye'd for'turning thera -with'andlthe shattsupports the wheel 2U bybei-ng :mounted to turn f re'ely E1 in bearing portions 25 3ndIt2fi f01me'din the sides of the casing l9. FAt zitss'outer side the casing I39 has =a-vision opening 'l2'lszthrough which the numbers or-i-ndicia -on=-the 'niuter iaceof theit's/"heel 24'!, designated at*2-8,-may seenaaseeach nurfiber brought *to a position mpposite-ilto s-aid opening 2 its inner end ethe shaftt24. is prevented from displacement outoward-ly :by smeansofia collar 29- held -in; place-by ea :cotter: pin passing through the-shaft and said -collar, .and at 'its :outer' end the shait' 24 ispre- :vented from inward displacement -by means of z' thehandle 30- which=-is keyed to -the shaft and =.:'pre vented'irom accidentaldisplacementby means -of:the nuts 3l threaded on the outer endof the .-:shaft 24. "It' is noted that the outer end of the bracket rmountin l4 forthe'cable' reel or drumy-on the :shaft I I3, is provided *with a zero"-indication designated 32, this indication cooperating-with athe zindicating-ponter It as will now be described. .The operation of my depth indicating means nw-ill' be readily understood from the-foregoing description r of theconstruction of thevarious :parts; and' I set "forth said operation as --follows. It: may :be-assumed for purposesofthisdesorip- *rtion that the chassis orirame of the vehicle com- .prisingthe members -I and 2- is -locate'd on-an pincline so that the front-end of 'the'vehicle is :ldownwardly inclined, thereby elevating the boringthead 3 and-adjuncts supported thereby. Un-

Jder these conditions, in order -to=start-thedigging or the hole, the operator =willadjust -the r boring head 3 angularly-in a plane longitudinally -of the chassis l until saidheadstands substan- ;;tially vertical with its casingor "guide tube-ta esim'ilarly disposed. By operating the boring bar 5 -in= the usual-manner, the same is rotated and ""lowereduntil the point of the auger 6-contacts -with'-theearth. 'It will be'assumedthat ahole -five feetiisto be dug. Duringthelowering of the'aboring-barto position the auger 6,-as stated, the "cable Hi will .be pulled downwardl by the unwound f-romthe reel or 'drum"onthe" shaft [3 for a certainnumber of --feet"or"fractions" of feet-dependent upon the distance of the point of the auger. 6. from. the ,ground .point at which the hole is to be dug. During the adjusting or loweringsof the point of theauger fifiinithe mam ner stated, the operation of the indicating-wheel.

" 60 effective to .prevent thesspring; controlled :cable will be'zignored. As. soon, however, as the point of the auger 6 reaches the ground level ,theoperator will temporarily stop theldownward ifee'd of the boring bar"5, and while thefeed. is "discontinuedythe operator will turn the .nidicat-- ;.ing wheellll to the zero .position shown in "Fig- :ure *3. 'At;the same time he will. adjustiithert'rip ;.arm"and,pointer.15 to its preliminary tripping position as showninFigure 3 also. "The trip arm I5 is now ready upon unreeling of one foot of the cable [0 from the reel or drum on the shaft 13 to strike the uppermost projection 33 on the indicator wheel 20 and turn said wheel sufficiently to bring the indication l in front of the vision openin or window 202'l. Thus 7 it is that once the parts have been adjusted in 1115001 6;.jn:an;obvious;manner.

6 the :manner: 'sho'wn'iin Figure 3,a-t the time :the point of the auger has reached the groundssurf ace. .andzis cready to. dig the hole'githe operator then throws inzthexdrive: gearing foriifeedin'g' athe 5 boring bar 5 and the ranger-f5; doumwardly:..-in'-to the ground, and on each-revolution of the reel or. drum of shaft [3 incident to theunwinding movement of the cable "I I]; pulling on. said drum *androtating-same the arm l5 Willi-trip the in- -lO dicatorwheel 20 to :impart. thereto-one-twelfth by turning the wheel sha-ft :24;and -Wheel. 20 by grasping the handle .39, The adjustment oithe pointer -l.5.-iszo f. course. BfiGCtBQntObTi'l- {112113321178 zero. position asshown inFigure; 3,: thezt-ime of thestarting of thetdiggingactionzot-th a er 6 byloosening, the .thumb';-nut. H manual lwpositioning the;..arm-l-5, .andxthemre tightg-in n thumb nut 47150 that the-aarm-wi-ll the shaft .l-3. I

Under some conditions, of COUISBpitImaYKZbG tiidesirable to bore thahele distances comprising fractionswof a foot, itrbeing bornein-wmind tl the indicia onthe indicator-wheel- -;2ll,--.as-i.to each number; isintended' to; betshiftede one increment; incident toev each revolution of :ther-reel won 40 the-,shaft ;.;l;3, it -:being=-evident-. that the harm :1 5

likewise makes one revolution -:as the cable uwindsvone foot? from thedrum-on theg'fsh Therefore, bythe provision. of the indiciai. VB-(Q11 the end-of thewasing tZwof-the ree11,. -and thezero -indieations32 on theframe part l4-.-a 1jacen;t'..to the .ioutereend rof etheg-reel, --the: operator :may *readily-note whenv the pointer ita-of, the arm 15 reaches ---aposition :indicating '52 -.one,-;four.th foot movement of-;.the: cable .wlfi ,--:and :oorroaitondlu -1y .thewboringe bar 5 andaaii er16 aeonenhalf toot extent-ofmovement;orlacthreemuarters .foot ;,-extent of movement; i'lhis enables; the operator 'rtoccontrol- :diggin'g qdepths zwithoaocinacy sin: in-

icrementsof lquartere-foot;mouements' oivtheiboring rdinary fiherroel ior drum,;omthe:shaft '13 is sspringsactuatedadrumz and the cablemt :Mound ithereonr'byztherspringsmeans as:;ithe tbo g bar fiiisz'moved in .1guidee62. "Therzdetent .22czis3rinrel-windingiaction 10f said: drum. The details-mi the spring: 'drum- 311: -.are.=seen.:in:Eig.ure i'hlwherein the, shaft: l3..that:is 1keyed .to turn with: the idrum is 'shownmounted on one side. .Of' :the frame: 124. '2': ista short shaft, and, mounted.stationaryion the-opposite side of the framefaby. a pinf.'35,'1is1a *short shaft 36, coaxiaLwith-the-shaft 1 and providing a bearing forfthe inner portionotathe drum or reel 31, and an inboard support for the casing l2. A helical spring 38 in the drum 31 is fixed at its inner end at 39 in a slot of the stationary shaft36, and at its outer end fixedly pinned at 40 to the inner periphery of the drum 31. The spring 38 is normally tensioned to cause the cable I0 to wind onto the drum 31 when the load on the cable I!) is relieved when the auger -is-raised.

1 ,Having thus: described my invention, what I "claim. as new and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent of .the United States, is:

w: 1.. In a boringmachine, in combination, a borging. bar,an auger at the lower'endof said bar, a'a boring head for thebar and operating means in the head to raise and lower the bar and its auger, a digging depth indicating unit compris ing an indicator exteriorly arranged relatively tothe head, a cable drum on the boring head, a trip arm operable by the drum and'coacting with the indicator to move the latter a predetermined distance corresponding with the movement of the boring bar, and a cable connecting theb-oring bar with said drum. 1

, 2; A machine as claimed in claim 1, combined with a casing for the drum having distance measuring indicia thereon, and means on the trip arm coacting with the indicia on said casing to supplement the indicating action of the indicator tripped by the trip arm in measuring the distance of movement of the boring bar. a

3. A boring machine comprising a support, boring bar, an auger at the lower end of the bar, a boring head adjustable on the support to shift the bar and auger relatively to the ground to position same for digging action, an indicatorv on the boring head for measuring the distance of digging movement of the boring bar and auger, actuating means between the boring bar and the indicator, and manually operable means to adjust-the indicator to difierent starting indicating positions, relatively to said actuating means, 1

when the digging end of the auger contacts port, a boring bar, an auger at the lower end orsaid bar, a boring head for the bar adjustable on the support so as to bringthe digging end of the auger to difierent distances from the ground, and operating means in the head to raise and lower the barand its auger, a guide coacting with the bar to direct the movement of the bar and carried by the head, a digging depth'indicating unit comprising an indicator exteriorlyarranged relatively to and on the head, operating means between the indicating unit and the bar to cause indicating movement of the indicator as the bar is lowered in the guide to measure. the distance of the movement of thebar, said second operating/means leading from and attached to the upper end of the boring bar; said means including actuating instrumentalities external to the boring head for moving the indicator, said instrumentalities comprising a rotating arm, a cable drum connected to turn said arm, and the indicator comprises movement measuring devices arranged to be shifted by the arm as it turns, and a cable leading from the drum and connected to the boring Number I bar to be actuated by the latter, said cable being reeved over a pulley mounted in the guide.

6. In a boring machine, incombination, a support, a boring bar, an auger at the lowerend of said bar,a boring head for the bar adjustable on the support so as to bring the digging end of, the auger to different distances from the ground, and operating means in the .head to raise and lowerthe bar and its auger, aguide coacting with the bar to direct the movement of the bar and carried by the head,. a digging depth indicating unit comprising an indicator exteriorly arranged relatively to and 'on. the head, operating means between theindicating unit and the bar to cause indicating movement of the indicator as the bar is lowered in the guide to measure the distance of the movement of the bar, said indicating unit comprising a cable drum, and the second operating .means including a cable leading from the drum through the guide near its upper end,-and manual means to pre-set the indicator independently of its movement by the cable for measuring the distance of movement of the boring bar from a preset position at which it engages the ground.

7. In a boring machine, in combination, a support, a boring bar, an auger at the lower end of said bar, a boring head for the bar adjustable cn the support so as to bring the digging end of the auger t0 different distances from the ground, and operating means ,in the head to raise and lower the bar and its auger, a guide coacting with the bar to direct the movement of the bar and carried by the head, a digging depth indicating unit comprising an indicator exteriorly arranged relatively to and on the head,

operating means; between the indicating unit and the bar to cause indicating movementof the indicator as the bar is lowered in the guide to measure the distance of the movement of the bar, the said second operating means leads from and is attached to the upper end of the boring bar, and includesactuating instrumentalities external to the boring head for moving the indicator, said instrumentalities comprising a rotating arm, a cable drum connected to turn said arm and the indicator comprising movement' measuring devices arranged to be shifted by the arm as it turns, a cable leading from the drum and connected to the boring bar to be actuated by the latter, and manual means including a handle connected to said arm to move the indicator independently of the drum and arm to pre-set said indicator.

GEORGE E. CONNORS,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

U-NITED STATES PATENTS v .Date

Name

. 1,511,433 Spowart Oct. 14,1924 1,678,881 Sheldon July 31, 1928 1,921,812 Erdahl Aug. 8, 1933 1,993,877 Dillon et al Mar. 12, 1935 2,365,014 Silverman et a1. Dec. 12, 1944 2,416,036

Zimmerlein et al. Feb. 18, 1947 

